Sunday, 24 August 2014

"Backpacking Through the Page"...

Thanks to the lovely Mily from The YA's Nightstand for writing this guest post. Anyone who follows Mily on Twitter will know she's a little weird, and this post is no exception...

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Backpacking Through the Page
- reads with a view -

Hello lovelies, I’m Mily and I’ll be your tour guide for today. I am contractually obligated to inform you that this journey will include, dragons, wizards, the odd narcissistic hottie and one or two Parisians – so if you need to make a quick get away your exits are here, here and here. Please keep all extremities inside the blog at all times and above all else, don’t feed anything with sharp teeth or claws! I am not responsible for any loss of limb. Okay, I think that’s all the formalities. Shall we begin?

Time turners at the ready, the first stop on the magical mystery tour is Hogwarts - three turns to the right should do it! So, I’m hoping that all of you have read the Harry Potter books and if you haven’t then I hope you’re about to start!

Hogwarts was and is one of those places that I like to believe might actually exist somewhere. It was my childhood! I wanted to grow up and go to Hogwarts, get sorted into Hufflepuff and start my destiny as the great witch I know I am. So take a good look around my second home – third year was pretty exciting. You have to meet Buckbeak.

Everyone finished his or her butterbeers? Good. Our second stop takes us across the channel to Paris! Anna and the French Kiss is one of my all time favorite YA Contemporary reads and there is just so much to see. Firstly, we’ll take our Disney Lunchboxes over to The Jardin du Luxembourg and have a little picnic. This was where Anna and St. Clair had their first kiss so be on the look out for sexy Parisians! What happens in the City of Lights and all that...

Then after than we’ll make a short stop at Point Zéro des Routes de France just outside of Notre Dame and make a little wish. A wish on point Zero will always come true, or you’ll find yourself back outside the gorgeous cathedral one day to make a second wish.

Unfortunately it was just a day trip to the great Pari, so that’s all we have time for. Did you get your French Kiss? No? Never mind, we’re heading over to America now – although get your time turners out again because this time we’re heading into the future.

Take a little look around; this is what we know as ‘Chicago’. Okay, so I know what you’re thinking. You wanted a pretty tour and we’ll get back to that in a bit but I think that it’s really important that we all get the chance to jump off a moving train!

Doesn’t that sound like fun? No… well how’s this for encouragement. All of you Dauntless enough to jump get to spend a good couple of days gawking at the sex God that is Four. I knew you’d change your mind.

Time to pick those jaws off up the floor and wipe away the drool. We’re going to need a little help getting to our next destination so if you’ll form an orderly line and make your way into the TARDIS quietly I’ll tell our driver (aka The Doctor) to get us to Westeros.

Things to keep in mind while we’re skipping through The Seven Kingdoms: 1) Do NOT under any circumstances feed the Dragons. 2) Try not to get on anyone’s bad side – especially if they’re royal. I don’t want to have to explain to your loved ones why you’ve come home without a head. 3) If you decide you wish to stay and join the Knights Watch that is fine, but I will need written consent from your parents.

Ground rules out the way lets enjoy the magic that is Kings Landing. There is so much to do and see I’m going to let you go off and explore – stay with a buddy and meet back at the tavern by sundown. We have one more stop before we go home.

Everyone say thank you to The Doctor for dropping us back home. “Thank You Doctor”.

So, now we’re back on Earth it’s time for our final stop on this little tour. Welcome to London. 1467. The War of the Roses is over and we are enjoying the reign of King Edward IV. If you take out your copies of Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen you will see that this was a time to be celebrated. These books are so enchanting that it makes you want to just fall into the page. So enjoy court and whenever your ready seven twists to the left should get you back home.

I hope you enjoyed the tour and picked up all these great books from the gift shop. It will make for a great summer of reading. Enjoy.